The Builder Bulletin is a digest of breaking news, new announcements, program updates and more goodies from the award-winning #1 certifier of ENERGY STAR® and energy efficient homes in Canada. Stay current, stay connected, and stay cool.

BUILDER ALERT

Builder Attestations Due - Reminder

ENERGY STAR Builder Attestations are good for one year from date of signature and must be re-submitted each year or per site. If yours is delinquent, it can can be sent electronically to Christephanie Uy.

ENERGY ADVISOR ALERT

ENERGY STAR Exam Deadline Approaching - Reminder

After March 31, 2018, all current and potential ENERGY STAR Energy Advisors must pass the Foundation Exam and the ENERGY STAR V17 EA Exam to become or continue to be ENERGY STAR Energy Advisors.

NEWS

ON Offers Funds for Low-Carbon Initiatives

The Ontario government has pledged up to $300 million in seed funding to advance low-carbon technologies and/or implement strategies to make greenhouse gas reduction more economically viable. Ontario-based companies and organizations have until May 7, 2018 to submit concepts to the GreenON Challenge.

Examples of the types of ideas the fund administrators hope to see include "new financing mechanisms" and "developing buildings that use dramatically less energy than typical buildings."

On February 1st, Enbridge Gas launched their revised Home Energy Conservation program, allowing homeowners to earn up to $5,000 for installing energy efficiency upgrades, while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This year's program gives homeowners up to $5,000 back, up from $1,600 -- an increase of more than 200 per cent.

For the next month, Enbridge is holding webinars for homeowners and renovators on the changes to their prescriptive, province-wide program.

The Ontario Home Builders' Association's Climate Change Council is holding its first general council meeting and Webinar Wednesday in the coming weeks, and attendance is open to all HBA members.

The goal is to inform stakeholders on cutting edge technologies, practices, products, programs, services and applicable building code changes. The CCC will be an information sharing hub, hosting webinars and promoting training and events to help builders adopt higher levels of energy efficiency and innovation as we all move towards Net Zero.